New Delhi | September 7, 2026
The Union government has sold around 4,000 tonnes of buffer onions across 17 cities in the first 10 days of a subsidised retail programme aimed at easing elevated onion prices, Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare said on Sunday.
The onions are being sold at Rs 35 per kilogram through government agencies, including the National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India (NCCF) and the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED). The programme is using stock procured for the government’s 2026 buffer to supply selected price-sensitive cities.
According to the report, the government has maintained a buffer stock of 1.21 lakh tonnes of onions for the year through NCCF and NAFED. Supplies are being moved from producing states to consumption centres by road and through a dedicated service known as the Kanda Express.
Khare said substantial quantities had already reached Delhi and Chennai by train, while a third consignment was being loaded for Guwahati. The distribution is intended to increase availability in urban markets where retail prices have risen sharply.
NCCF Managing Director Anees Joseph Chandra said the federation had sold 1,500 tonnes directly to consumers at Rs 35 per kilogram. Sales are being conducted through NCCF outlets, mobile vans, cooperative societies, state-level arrangements and other platforms identified by local administrations.
The Consumer Affairs Department’s data showed that the all-India average retail price declined to Rs 48.50 per kilogram on August 28 from Rs 50.79 per kilogram before the buffer release. However, prices remained uneven across cities on September 5. On that date, onions were priced at Rs 58 per kilogram in Delhi, Rs 53 in Mumbai, Rs 63 in Chennai and Rs 40 in Ranchi. The average wholesale price was Rs 42.79 per kilogram.
The figures indicate that the intervention has expanded lower-priced supply in selected urban markets, while retail prices continue to vary by city. The government’s next consignments and distribution arrangements will determine how widely the subsidised onions become available in the coming days.
